Summer is a great time for snacks. Snacks is a great time for chips. Chips are a great reason for salsa. Therefore, Summer = a great reason for salsa.
If you’re anything like me, you do appreciate America’s #1 condiment on all kinds of stuff — chips, meats, eggs, tortillas, crackers… any reason for some salsa. At $2-$4 a jar for “good” salsa at the grocery, why not make it ourselves? That’s what we’re going to do today for a fraction of the cost of storebought, plus it’s 100x more delicious.
Arriba!
If you have a food processor or food chopper, you can use it to make salsa. I have a hand-crank one that I just call the “salsa thingy,” and it’s sort of been with me forever. It’s my go-to salsa tool. You can also just chop everything up yourself if you want — it’ll take you longer, but it’ll still be delicious and it’ll be more of a super chunky less juicy salsa like pico de gallo.
I got mine on Amazon for about $10, so they’re easy to find and cheap for the hand-operated ones. Mine paid for itself in the first month. Just a suggestion, but as always, go with what’s comfortable for you!
This isn’t a super-specific quantities recipe, it’s more of a how-to or a suggested method because everyone’s taste is different. But, here’s what I used to make what I call a “medium batch” of salsa.
Gather your veggies and tools:
In batches, put cut veggies into your food chopper and chop until fine.
Add veggies to a large bowl as each batch is finished chopping.
Put the lime in the coconut and shake Stir everything together, add lime juice, salt and pepper, and taste.
Stash some in a jar so you don’t eat it all.
Then let everyone eat the rest!
This is the easiest thing ever to take to a party, a potluck, a picnic, to make for entertaining around your house, or just if you feel like having some fresh salsa. I always also set some aside for making guacamole (I mash up the avocadoes, put in some of this salsa, mix well, and BOOM. GUAC.)
Y’all click right here for my super easy guacamole recipe!
Do this. Be a hero.
- 7-8 ea medium tomatoes Romas work great
- 1-2 ea large jalapeno Whole (hot) or seeded (milder)
- 4-5 cloves fresh garlic peeled
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt or 1/2 tsp regular iodized salt
- 1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
- 1 ea medium onion red, white, or sweet yellow
- Remove stem end from tomatoes and jalapeno and cut each into quarters. For less heat, seed and de-vein the jalapeno (be careful and don't rub your eyes!) Peel and quarter onion. Peel garlic cloves. Tear the leafy tops off of one half the bunch of cilantro.
- In batches, add veggies to a chopper or food processor and chop until fine. Tomatoes will become juicy. When each batch is chopped evenly, transfer to a large bowl.
- Mix all the veggies together until they look like salsa. Taste. Add more jalapeno, cilantro or garlic if desired.
- Add lime juice, 1 Tbsp salt and 1 Tbsp pepper to salsa. Mix and taste. If you will be eating this with salted corn chips, make sure to taste it on a chip so you don't over-salt. Adjust seasoning to your liking.
- Pack some of the salsa into an airtight container so you will have some for later, because if you're like me then you and your guests will probably demolish the salsa you put out to snack on!
- Enjoy!
